Power Outages and Flight Cancellations Hit Quebec Amid Severe Cold Wave
Quebec is experiencing severe weather conditions, impacting both flight operations and residential power supply. On Sunday morning, freezing temperatures continued to disrupt air travel in the eastern part of Canada.
Impact on Flights and Airports
According to Aéroports de Montréal, approximately 20 flights departing from Montreal were canceled due to the extreme cold. The adverse weather conditions have resulted in significant delays and cancellations across various airlines.
Power Outages Across Montreal
Residents woke up on Sunday morning to find over 25,900 addresses without electricity in Montreal, largely due to the harsh temperatures, which felt like -29°C with the wind chill factor. Hydro-Québec reported that the situation had not improved much since the previous day.
- As of Saturday at 5 PM, nearly 30,000 power outages were reported across Quebec.
- Over 15,000 customers in Montreal were affected.
- By Sunday morning, 14,413 homes in Montreal remained without power.
Improvement in Other Regions
Conditions have improved in some areas, such as Montérégie, where only 123 addresses experienced outages by Sunday morning. However, in Estrie, 1,757 homes and businesses remained without power.
Weather Warnings and Forecasts
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued several cold weather warnings. The wind chill was reported to be as low as -35°C on Sunday morning. Following this icy spell, forecasts indicate that 10 to 20 centimeters of snow is expected to accumulate in southern and eastern Quebec.
Visibility Concerns
With snowfall expected to continue through Monday evening, there are concerns regarding reduced visibility on the roads. Travelers should be cautious and prepared for potentially hazardous driving conditions.
